Posts from — November 2011

I’m very excited to [finally] share that I’m featured in jcpenney’s holiday boutique on Facebook!

This is what my page looks like. On the app, it’s interactive and you can shop the look directly from the page. My whole outfit was put together from the Nicole by Nicole Miller line. How amazing are those booties?

This is just the beginning, as more looks and gift ideas are coming soon. There are also other bloggers (hi, Amy!) featured with really great ideas as well.

Here are a few behind-the-scenes pictures from the photo shoot. Thank you to everyone who put this together and made it happen!!

Today’s guest post was written by Kathryn Cusimano. Thanks, Kathryn!

If you want to get gorgeous skin using natural products and are willing to drop some cash to make this happen, I have the perfect product for you: Tata Harper Rebuilding Moisturizer.

Tata Harper Rebuilding Moisturizer ($100, tataharperskincare.com).
Image: tata-harper

I have loved many wallet-friendly moisturizers over the years, so when I opened a gift bag and found this very expensive product inside, I was pretty skeptical about it. I set it aside until late one night, I ran out of my trusty drugstore brand late. I was in a pinch, so I turned to Tata Harper’s very high-end moisturizer. I woke up a convert.

I don’t mean to brag, but my skin looked seriously spectacular. After one use, my skin felt soft and smooth as silk, without a hint of an oily or dry patch. Within two days, my skin was more even in tone. After a week, I felt confident enough to ditch my foundation (but not my concealer – not even Tata can correct my dark circles).

I didn’t need to be convinced – I was already in love – but the brand’s commitment to all-natural, non-toxic beauty won me over. The only problem is the price: one bottle of the Rebuilding Moisturizer will set you back $100, and it will only last for about four months. Yes, it is insanely expensive, but I think it’s worth it. That is, if you can swing it. If you can find this money in your budget (perhaps by cutting down on Starbucks runs?), I promise, your skin will thank you.

In these tough economic times, Black Friday has become more important than ever for scoring the best price on that perfect gift. With stores opening earlier and earlier- even on Thanksgiving night- retailers give you plenty of opportunities to get the best deals. According to CNN, this year’s Black Friday weekend sales reaches a record breaking $52.4 billion across the country, with the average person spending almost $400. And that’s not even including the Cyber Monday deals that start today.

Shopping on Black Friday weekend could almost be considered a sport. I’m kidding. Sort of.

Photo from Bebeto Matthews / AP

In a family full of fashionistas, shopping on Black Friday has become somewhat of a Thanksgiving weekend tradition. Our family always eats dinner early on Thanksgiving (at the request of my grandmother) so by 6 or 7, everyone is either 1) passed out on our couches or 2) on their way home to pass out on their own couches. My mom, my sister and I would all wake up early, but not too early, on Friday morning and hit the sales. More for the experience than anything, really, because shopping on Black Friday is truly an experience in and of itself.

We even started to go out on Thanksgiving night since our dinner ends so early (last year with my mom and some friends, this year with our cousins, one of whom had to work on Thanksgiving day), which many frown upon, but we just consider it an extension of the holiday. It’s a different way to experience Thanksgiving and Black Friday. We’re still spending some time together; just around a display table instead of a dinner table.

I got to experience the other end of Black Friday this year. For the first time in four years, I had to work on Black Friday at my new part-time job at the BCBGMAXAZRIA department inside of the local Lord & Taylor. And it wasn’t as crazy as I expected or remembered. It was busy, but not pepper-spray busy. Customers were actually shopping for others and not themselves, which was nice to see. I suppose it would be different if I worked for a big box retailer with crazy midnight or 5 am door busters, though.

And even on the busiest shopping day and season of the year, I still prefer to do my shopping in-store instead of online. Give me a peppermint mocha from Starbucks in a red holiday cup and I can handle any crowd, any sale, anything. After all, it’s all just a part of the experience.

My sister and I have become very into DIY projects. We scour do-it-yourself blogs for different ideas on how to look cute without spending too much money…I mean, who doesn’t love saving some money? Exactly.

We already tried this and found it to be a great success. I feel like this season’s Christmas gifts will include quite a few homemade gifts, and here are a few I’d like to try on a chilly winter weekend (live in NYC? Pick up this Living Social deal at Mood Fabrics for November 22nd before you get started!):

Tory Burch inspired flats on Glitter Guide

Photo from glitterguide.com

Plaid cape on P.S.- I Made This…

Photo from psimadethis.com

Snow Globes on Looking Lovely

Photo from lookinglovelyetc.com

What are some of your favorite DIY blogs or projects?

Today’s guest post is by the lovely Julie over at I Heart Heels. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did! Thanks, Julie!

Hi, everyone! Julie from I Heart Heels here. I’m so very excited Christa asked me to guest blog for her today (we met at the Lucky FABB Conference and we’re also fellow Vogue Influencers, so we def have a lot in common…heart her to pieces!) On this glorious Friday I figured what would be a better topic to share with you all than my (undying) love for pretty, pretty pumps. Everyone knows Brian Atwood is a shoe king (and genius), so when he developed his new B Brian Atwood shoe line, I squealed ’til I could squeal no more. Seriously. I have yet to own a pair myself, but it’s one of my 2012 resolutions (hey, I’m a Virgo! I plan ahead).

I thought you might find this video teasing the Resort 2011 collection a bit fun and, hello, swoon-worthy. It’s inspired by the color block shoe, shown here.

Obviously, color blocking is a trend most anyone can try in an outfit (I personally love black and bright blue!), and color block shoes are so incredibly striking it begs the question: who wouldn’t love these shoes? It’s a statement shoe that will steal any heel lover’s heart (I know it got mine…). Have a great weekend, lovelies, and hope you enjoyed the shoe show! xoxo

1. Because the sun still shines in the winter: Hope in a Jar SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer from philosophy, $38 (photo from philosophy.com)
2. For the mornings when it’s too cold to wash your hair: Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo, $25 (photo from barneys.com)
3. To add a touch of glitter to your every day: Rosie Lee nail lacquer from butter LONDON, $14 (photo from butterlondon.com)
4. Try deviating from your usual color this season: Colorstay Eyeliner in Blackberry from Revlon, $5.99 (photo from revlon.com)
5. A light perfume to brighten up dark days: Coach Poppy Purse Spray, $38 (photo from nordstrom.com)
6. Perfect for that New Year’s Eve smokey eye: Eye Studio Color Pearls in Silver Starlet from Maybelline, $6.99 (photo from maybelline.com)

ps: don’t forget to check out Fresh Squeezed’s newest feature, How Do I Wear This?

Exactly two weeks until Thanksgiving (ahhhhh!!!!). I guess it’s not too early to start planning for the upcoming season, right? Also, where did 2011 go?!

Anyway, I take the holidays very seriously and dress up for any occasion. Even at the office. To me, this time of year means you break out your prettiest frock(s): sparkles, satin, velvet, sequins, shiny. With that in mind, starting getting yourselves ready for the fanciest time of the year (and beyond) with these gorgeous tops:

Sequin Wide Neck Tee at Express, $59.90 (photo from express.com)

Cropped Ruffle Top at Old Navy, $22.94 (photo from oldnavy.com)

nicole by Nicole Miller top at JCPenny, $50.40 (available in November) (photo courtesy of n by Nicole Miller)

Hanelli Solid Layered Blouse from BCBG Max Azria, $188 (photo from bcbg.com)

Top from H&M, $24.95 (photo from hm.com)

Spring 2012′s neon trend penetrated the runways for both men and women in September. Everywhere you looked, there it was: aqua, magenta, lime, chartreuse. While these colors are fun for warmer weather, the thought of wearing them can be a bit intimidating. Luckily, Women’s Wear Daily reported in October that another color will be popular for men in the spring: navy blue. Definitely more subdued that it’s bright counterparts.

The great thing about navy blue is that it’s a neutral color, so it still goes with pretty much everything, but it’s not as harsh as black. And why wait until spring? Here are my favorite navy blue items currently on the shelves. Feel free to wear as is or pair with a neon color for the spring (if you dare).

Burberry Leather Epaulette Pea Coat, $1,595 (photo from burberry.com)

Croft and Barrow Jersey Henley, $17.99 (on sale from $36) (photo from kohls.com)

J. Crew Cashmere Scarf, $88 (photo from jcrew.com)

Ralph Lauren Ethan Pleated Pants, $79.50 (photo from ralphlauren.com)

Gap Merino V-Neck Sweater, $49.50 (photo from gap.com)

I’ve been thinking a lot about brand loyalty lately. It all started on Sunday when I was looking at some watched on sale at Lord & Taylor, and I couldn’t think about buying any watch that wasn’t by Michael Kors. I felt, I don’t know, guilty. That’s kind of weird. (FYI, I ended up buying another one. I’m in love)

Then I saw this sight in the mirror as I was rushing out the door yesterday morning. A pretty typical sight for a week day in the fall. One thing you might not pick up on is that everything that you can see in this photo is Michael Kors.

1. MICHAEL Michael Kors trench [similar], 2. Michael Kors watch [similar], 3. MICHAEL Michael Kors hand bag [similar]. The things you can’t see in this picture: 4. Very Hollywood by Michael Kors perfume, 5. Michael Kors Sunglasses [similar]. Clearly, I love the Michael Kors brand, specifically his secondary (read: cheaper and more affordable) line, MICHAEL Michael Kors.

Sure, there are other brands and stores that I gravitate towards while I’m shopping, like BCBG MAX AZRIA, Anthropologie, French Connection, Splendid, Ella Moss, among others. However, none of these brands have permeated my closet quite like Michael Kors. Here’s why:

1. Reputation. Michael Kors brands (including runway, KORS Michael Kors, and MICHAEL Michael Kors) has a stellar reputation for creating quality products. Always important when investing in clothing.
2. Work appropriate. This might be the most important thing to me. As a young professional who doesn’t have a ton of cash, I try to buy clothing that I can wear to the office and out on the town.
3. Sales. The MICHAEL Michael Kors brand is frequently on sale, which is even better.
4. Rave reviews on the runway. Generally, Michael Kors’ runway collections are well received by critics, season after season. Some of those looks are adapted for the secondary lines, which is great.
5. Incredible advertising. Michael Kors, season after season, always has advertising campaigns that make me want to go out and buy the products. Specifically fall advertising campaigns.
6. Strong online presence. Michael Kors is well represented on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and in email marketing. The brand launched a new site earlier this year, Destination Kors, to bring everything together: social media, runway show photos and video, clothing, etc. The fact that Michael Kors is well connected and presented online shows me that the brand isn’t afraid to adapt when the way we communicate and interact changes, which some brands are.

What brand are you a walking advertisement for? What draws you to that brand?

Disclaimer: my sister interned for Michael Kors last year, so a few of my MICHAEL Michael Kors items were bought by her with her employee discount.

If you’re going to spend a few bucks on a case for your iPhone, it might as well be worth it.

Enter Kate Spade.

Leave it to Kate Spade to make adorable, chic-tastic hard and soft cover iPhone cases. When you peruse the Kate Spade website, you’ll find 15 different options for your iPhone made in true Kate Spade fashion: cute patterns, lots of color, good quality. The cases’ price are $35 for the soft cover and $40 for the hard cover. Keep your eyes out for coupons for Kate Spade and at department stores to bring the price down (especially that the holidays are coming up now), or visit a Kate Spade outlet to get one at a lower price.

I picked up The Journal iPhone case a few weeks ago, and I absolutely love it. I got mine at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets in Tinton Falls, NJ, and that store had about five different ones to choose from. The decision was fast though, considering this happens to be one of my favorite prints from Kate Spade; as you can see, I already wrote about it! I was more than thrilled when I saw the iPhone case with this great print, and needless to say, I had to have it.

My favorite part of the case has to be the daily affirmation printed on the inside.

This cute little case makes an excellent gift, both to give and to receive. In case you don’t have an iPhone, there are a few Blackberry sleeves to choose from as well.

And since Starbucks introduced its red cup sleeves today, it’s not too early to talk about holiday wish lists, right?

All photos from katespade.com